


My Soul Cried out in Fear

by OldGuardianNewTricks



Series: A Choir of Souls [4]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Angst, Building a family, Emotional Hurt, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Happy Ending, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani and Nicky | Nicolò di Genova are in Love, M/M, Mortal AU, No Immortality, Please see chapter summaries for any additional warnings etc., Single dad Yusuf Al-Kaysani, the twins disappear, with eventual Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29566524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OldGuardianNewTricks/pseuds/OldGuardianNewTricks
Summary: Sebastien picks up his phone in trembling hands still not quite believing that this nightmare is happening. He stares at Yusuf’s name on the screen before prodding at it and moving the phone to his ear. He paces the room tapping his free hand on his thigh as he waits for it to connect.“Hey Basti, what’s up brother?”He can’t seem to speak. The words just won’t come out.“Basti?”Life should be perfect for Nico and Yusuf, except for the imminent court case hanging over them. They have each other and their found family to help them through....that is until the worst happens and the twins disappear... and Merrick calls out of the blue.This is a sequel toYour Soul Sings to Mine.
Relationships: Andy|Andromache/Quynh|Noriko, Booker | Sebastien le Livre/Nile Freeman, Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: A Choir of Souls [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094138
Comments: 29
Kudos: 32





	1. The Biggest Question

“Miiiiaaaa?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You know how Uncle Nico is our Uncle?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What if he was our Daddy? Like Baba is our Baba and Papà is our Papà but Uncle Nico was our Daddy.”

Mia stops colouring in the penguin she’s been drawing for the big class picture and stares at her brother open mouthed. 

“Like for really real?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow, Lo.... that would be really really good.”

“But I did ask Baba and he did say it was a very big question.”

“Oh.”

“What does that mean Mia?”

“It means we are gonna have to find a big way to ask.”

“Really big?”

Mimma looks at her brother with her very serious face

“The biggest Lo, the very biggest and...”

She leans forward now and Lo moves as well so she can whisper

“Lo we are going to have to be really good like the most goodest we have ever been, ok.”

“Ok Mia.”

* * *

Nico never turns down an opportunity to pick the kids up from school either with Yusuf or by himself. Today it is both of them and they are leaning on the fence enjoying the sun on their faces and the breeze through their hair. They’ve been working on his new album and today has felt like a breakthrough day. He feels that the majority of work has been done and now it just needs polishing. Yusuf, or rather Joseph Jones, is singing on most of the tracks, their voices just blend so damn well together. Life would be utterly blissful if not for the court case looming over him, over them all.

“Hey.”

There’s a soft touch on his arm and he looks up to find Yusuf smiling at him and what a joyful sight that is. Nico doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to it. 

“Penny for your thoughts?”

“Just thinking about how lucky I am.”

Yusuf’s smile achieves the seemingly impossible and gets even brighter. He gives Nico a wink but before Nico can reply two small bodies barrel into his legs.

“UNCLE NICO, UNCLE NICO, UNCLE NICO”

He bends and they both hug him before saying very sweetly

“Love you Uncle Nico”

“I love you too Uncle Nico”

And then somewhat bizarrely Mimma adds

“Thank you for coming to get us.”

“You’re welcome Mia and I love you two too.”

“Ahem, I came to get you as well!”

Yusuf looks at them all wryly as the twins give him a hug.

“Hi Baba.”

“Yeah hi Baba.”

On the walk to the bus stop the twins both want to hold Uncle Nico’s hand and every time he looks down they are gazing up at him with huge smiles which is lovely but a bit odd. He glances at Yusuf who is looking just as bemused as he feels. 

The oddness doesn’t just last for the walk home or even just for that evening. For the next few days they are on their best behaviour, their very best behaviour. That’s not to say that they are ever badly behaved but this is exceptional. Not only do they take every opportunity to tell Nico they love him they also put their toys away without having to be asked, they help feed Cat and put her toys away too. Most surprisingly as soon as bedtime is mentioned they dutifully trot upstairs straightaway to get ready.

“They want something.”

Yusuf says on the third day of “perfect twins” after they have tucked them in. He pulls Nico into his arms on the sofa

“They definitely want something I just have no idea what it is.”

He rakes his fingers through Nico’s hair pressing his nails lightly against his scalp and relishing the almost imperceptible shudder that runs through him. Laughing gently he does it again and no more than twenty seconds later Cat jumps onto Nico’s chest and forces her head under Yusuf’s hand. She’s a small creature but has the uncanny ability to wriggle in and demand affection from anybody she chooses and she’s so cute nobody minds. Nico moves so that his head is nestled on Yusuf’s shoulder and he too begins to tickle Cat and soon her notoriously loud purrs are the only sound in the room. Nico loves the fact that neither he nor Yusuf feel the need to fill the silence. He loves listening to Yusuf talk, loves discussing everything and nothing but this stillness and peace is like a balm to his soul. He wraps himself up in it and lets himself drift off. 

Sometime later, minutes or hours he isn’t sure, he’s woken by soft kisses to his temple, his eyelid and the tip of his nose

“Hayati, you’ll be more comfortable in bed. Come on.”

He tries to answer but a series of grunts is all that comes out.

“I know you don’t want to move but you’ll be grateful tomorrow.”

Yusuf kisses him again and then helps him to stand. Cat is not happy with this state of affairs but follows them upstairs. They clean their teeth with Nico leaning heavily on Yusuf. In their bedroom Nico simply collapses onto the bed and Yusuf goes into battle with his jeans ending with him having to pull so hard Nico sort of gets dragged down the bed until he manages to tilt his hips up. Yusuf leaves Nico’s t-shirt on and shrugs his own clothes off as quickly as possible before getting into bed. Nico’s body finds his by sheer muscle memory and he sighs as he settles there. They always sleep like this and Yusuf is convinced that if they were to spend a night apart neither of them would be able to sleep though he has no plans to test this theory. He feels Nico go limp as he presses his back up to Yusuf’s chest and Yusuf pushes his nose into the hair at the base of Nico’s neck, smells the slightly menthol scent of his shampoo and whispers

“Sleep well beloved.

Nico is too gone to respond verbally but he fumbles for Yusuf’s hand and squeezes it. Yusuf is almost asleep himself when Cat jumps up and makes a nest on top of them both. He falls asleep to Cat’s purrs and Nico’s quiet breathing.

* * *

_Laughing._

_Cold and vicious and all around him._

_He can see figures but none of them have faces which is wrong. This is all wrong. He doesn’t like this and he wants to get away, he has to get away. He tries he really does but his feet won’t move._

“Wake up.”

_That’s new but it sounds far away and he can’t move. The laughter is louder now._

“Nicoló, wake up.”

_The laughter is getting louder and closer._

“Nicoló please wake up. Please just follow my voice. Come back to me.”

He wakes with a gasp to find Yusuf stroking his face and Cat perched on his chest. Yusuf is murmuring now, so familiar but it never fails to ground him.

“I am here. You are right here with me hayati. You are safe. I am here. You are right here with me hayati. You are safe. I am here. You are right here with me hayati. You are safe. I am here. You are right here with me hayati. You are safe.”

Nico breathes deeply and wipes his face before nodding to show that he’s fully back with Yusuf in the safety of their room. Cat is now bumping her head into his jaw so he starts to stroke her. 

“Same dream?”

Nico nods again

“Identical but you got me out of it quickly, before.... I thought they’d stop when Keane and Merrick got arrested.”

“They will but waiting for the court dates is bound to be playing on your mind. Do you want to get up?”

“No, I think I can sleep again as long as you’re with me.”

It takes him a while to get back to sleep but Yusuf is with him and Cat has settled on his pillow, one paw on his head. He is safe and he is loved.

* * *

> **Nile:** _Nico, Dizzy wants you for a photo shoot for_ Music Now!  _magazine. This Saturday!!!_
> 
> **Nico:** _Who?_
> 
> **Basti** _Really? Even I know that Dizzy is the most invigorating and inventive artistic photographer to have burst onto the scene in years!_
> 
> **Nile:** _You just cut and pasted that straight from Wiki Book!!_
> 
> **Quynh:** _OMG, she’s amazing. I love her work and I am free to style you._
> 
> **Nico:** _I can pick out my own clothes!_
> 
> **Nile:** _Not for this!_
> 
> **Quynh:** _No darling!_
> 
> **Nile:** _She wants Primo and Nico, two sides of the coin kind of thing._
> 
> **Quynh:** _Got it! Love it!_
> 
> **Nico:** _Fine- but can I have something comfy this time please?_
> 
> **Quynh:** _Actually yes._
> 
> **Yusuf:** _I have a meeting with Andy on Saturday so can you watch the kids Basti?_
> 
> **Basti:** _Yes!!_
> 
> **Nile:** _You should see his smile, I think he’s missed his little darlings!_
> 
> **Yusuf:** _They’ve missed you as well brother!_  
> 

* * *

The sound that Yusuf hates most in the world is that of their damn alarm clock as it is stupidly loud and almost aggressively shrill. He especially hates it when it goes off early and he particularly loathes it when it goes off early on the weekend. Nico stirs and he simply tightens his grip like a koala clinging to a tree. 

“Let me just turn it off tesoro.”

The stopping of that awful noise is the only reason that Yusuf is prepared to release Nico from his arms however he cannot stop the little whine he makes. Nico grins and despite knowing he really, really should get up he relaxes back into Yusuf’s arms, just for five minutes. 

Thirty five minutes later he is shocked awake by their doorbell and manages some pretty inventive swearing as Yusuf ‘humphs’ and pulls the covers over his head. He manages to make it down the stairs whilst pulling a t-shirt over his head and without breaking his neck. Flinging open the door he comes face to face with one of Andy’s drivers, Minnie who simply quirks an eyebrow at him as he runs a hand through his hair and asks

“Do you want to come in?”

“Nah mate I’ll wait in the car.”

Nico showers quickly and is very grateful that he managed to pack up most of the clothes Quynh had suggested last night, after pointing out she’d be bringing ‘a select few items’. He’d used his suitcase in the end just for ease and he’s about to slam the lid shut when Cat pops her head up and mews at him, he takes her back to Yusuf and she settles but glares at him as he leaves her behind.

* * *

Forty minutes after Nico leaves it is Yusuf’s turn to be woken by the doorbell. He yawns, sneezes a couple of times and then sniffs. He briefly wonders ‘cold or hay fever’ before making his way downstairs at a much steadier pace than Nico had, not least because Cat is winding herself between his legs. This time the door opens to reveal a happy looking Sebastien who ignores Yusuf to peer intently past him into the hall.

“My niece and nephew up yet?”

“Hello Basti. Lovely morning. How are you?”

Sebastien barks a laugh and claps Yusuf on the shoulder as he makes his way to the kitchen.

“Sorry mon frère. I just haven’t seen them properly for what feels like ages.”

“It’s been six days Basti!”

“Exactly, ages!”

Yusuf sniffles again and puts on the coffee machine before starting to make breakfast for both of them. 

“They’re still asleep, well they’ve not come downstairs yet.”

“Are they still being extra especially good?”

“Yep! Toast? Still on very best behaviour and still telling Nico how much they love him.”

He sits opposite Basti and Cat immediately jumps into his lap and eyes the toast in front of him.

“A few weeks ago Lo asked me if Nico was going to be their dad now. They are obviously hoping he will be.”

“He adores them so he’d be honoured wouldn’t he?”

“I think so. I definitely hope so. It’s a big thing to ask of someone and until we know what’s happening with the court case ...”

Basti opens his mouth to reply but is cut off by the twins galloping in and attempting to cuddle Yusuf and stroke Cat at the same time.

“Good morning my darlings did you sleep well?”

“Yes Baba.”

They then notice that Uncle Basti is there too and immediately run over and he swings them round making them giggle. They chatter excitedly with him until half way through breakfast when Mia looks around the kitchen and under the table before asking

“Where’s Uncle Nico?”

Yusuf sniffs a couple of times and blows his nose

“He’s gone.”

His voice comes out a little croaky so he gets himself a glass of water and misses the look that passes between the twins at ‘He’s gone.’ He sips his water and glances at the clock

“I’m running late!”

Rushing downstairs after his very quick and not very warm shower he manages to put his shoes on whilst calling a minicab. The twins and Basti are playing with Cat 

“You two, I have to go so be good for Uncle Basti.”

“Will you be home soon?”

“I will be a few hours but I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

“Do you promise?”

“ I do absolutely promise Lo. And I might even bring Aunty Andy back with me.”

This is very exciting news indeed for the twins. After he gets another cuddle he leaves with Cat almost following him through the door but Basti manages to pick her up with a twin hanging off each of his arms. ‘Definitely in safe hands’ thinks Yusuf as he gets into the back of the cab and waves goodbye from the window until after the cab has turned round the corner and he can no longer see his babies.

* * *

Mimma and Paolo haven’t just been being very good they have also been making a real life book. They know that Uncle Nico likes books and Baba and them and Cat and music so they have been making a book with lots and lots of pictures of Uncle Nico and Baba and them and Cat. It is quite hard to draw music though. Baba taught them how to fold paper to make a book but this is the biggest one they have ever ever made. They wanted to show Baba but it is supposed to be a surprise so they’ve been hiding it in one of the big picture books Uncle Basti gave them a long time ago, a very long time ago when they were only four!

They’ve been playing a lot this morning and showing Uncle Basti all the things that Cat can do and all the cat things they can do. Uncle Basti clapped a lot and gave them each a very good hug. All their uncles and aunts are very good at hugs but they think that maybe you have to be very good at hugs before you are allowed to be an uncle or an aunt. Of course Baba is the very bestest at hugs because he is their Baba.

“Mia, Uncle Nico is almost nearly as good at hugs.”

“That is because he is going to be our Daddy and that is like the same as a Baba.”

Lo nods because Mia is right.

The lovely very good morning goes all wrong and not very lovely when they go upstairs looking for Cat. 

“Catty Cat Cat, Catty Cat.”

They hear her mew from Baba and Uncle Nico’s room and run in to see her lying in a sunbeam where Uncle Nico’s suitcase lives.

“Oh no!”

Lo is a bit surprised when Mia says this as she sounds upset but he doesn’t know why because they are having fun.

“It’s gone Lo. Uncle Nico’s case is gone.”

Her lip is wobbling now so Lo gives her an extra special twin hug which is the very best of all hugs.

“Why has he gone Mia?”

“I don’t know but we have to find him and bring him home.”

“With Uncle Basti?”

“No because he’s a grown up!”

Lo thinks this is why they need Uncle Basti who is the only grown up in the house. 

“Lo we have to go and get our Daddy so that he can be our Daddy but only we can go because he will be our Daddy.”

“Hey you two, how about a drink and a snack?”

Uncle Basti is suddenly in the room with them and Lo can’t help but run to him for a cuddle.

“What’s the matter little one?”

Uncle Basti is kneeling and looking worried and Lo doesn’t know what to say so he just hugs harder.

“Come on, let’s have a drink and a snack and then a story, ok?”

“Ok.”

Uncle Basti heads down to the kitchen and Mia grabs Lo’s hand

“We need to get the book and then go find Uncle Nico and ask him to be our Daddy and to come home please before Baba comes back because Baba will be really sad if he’s not here.”

“But where do we look?”

This is a big and important question so Mia has to think especially hard. If he doesn’t live here where would he go?

“He’s gone where he used to live Lo.”

It takes Lo a second but

“The hotel.”

They go to the lounge to fetch the book they made for Uncle Nico and Mimma heads to the front door but Paolo can hear Uncle Basti in the kitchen. He feels a bit naughty about leaving so he writes a small letter and leaves it on the book Uncle Basti was going to read to them.

* * *

Sebastien is happily singing along to a classic Joseph Jones track on the radio whilst cutting up two identical plates of fruit for the kids. Kids who are being very quiet and maybe it’s too quiet. 

“Mia, Lo.”

There is no answer.

“Kids, snack time.”

They aren’t in the lounge so they must be still upstairs but he stops dead in the hall where Cat is miaowing mournfully at the front door. 

The front door which is not shut as it should be.

The front door which is clearly ajar when it has absolutely no right to be.

Sebastien doesn’t think. For a solid minute there are absolutely no thoughts passing through his brain. Finally Cat’s miaowing breaks through and he moves, flinging the the door open and sprinting to the gate yelling for Mimma, yelling for Paolo but there is no sign of them or anyone else. He runs back into the house and looks everywhere for them, in cupboards, under beds, behind sofas whilst yelling for them, begging them to come out now. Cat remains at his heels throughout. 

Heading downstairs he stands in the lounge where they should be eating fruit right now. He’s going to have to phone Yusuf. Oh god he’s going to have to tell him that he’s lost his babies. He picks up his phone in trembling hands still not quite believing that this nightmare is happening. He stares at Yusuf’s number before prodding at it and lifting it to his ear. He paces the room tapping his free hand on his thigh as he waits for it to connect.

“Hey Basti. What’s up brother?”

He can’t speak. The words just won’t come out.

“Basti?”

“Yusuf, it’s... they’re not here.”

“Who’re not where?”

There is a cold steel edge to Yusuf’s usually warm voice and Sebastien feels his shoulders curl in.

“I was making them a snack and they were being so quiet maybe too quiet and when I came to look for them they were... and the door was open and it shouldn’t have been open and... Yusuf, they’ve gone and I can’t find them.”

His voice doesn’t sound like him anymore it’s high pitched scared and small. On the other end of the line there is nothing but silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is future me as I accidentally deleted the notes for this chapter (accidentally deleted-how? The button says delete!) 
> 
> I think I said that I was a bit unsure about even posting this- but the idea wouldn’t leave me and I really don’t want to leave this AU. 
> 
> For those of you with me this on journey- thanks for joining. You mean the world!


	2. The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The twins are definitely missing and their family get the news.

Nico is running late due to his ill advised but highly enjoyable lie in. Therefore when Minnie drops him off at the hotel for his photo shoot he is literally running. Nile is waiting for him in the lobby with a grin and most importantly an espresso from the cafe next door. 

“I’m so sorry Nile!”

She grins and then allows him to fold her into a hug. As much as she adores Booker there is something truly magical about Nico’s hugs. There’s a cough from behind them as Quynh arrives with a case that is almost as tall as she is. Nico envelops her into a hug and she beams at him before she looks him up and down and the smile fades

“What are you wearing?”

Nico looks down at his ancient combats, t-shirt and his oldest/baggiest hoodie.

“Classic Nico!”

“Well I can’t argue with that.”

They head up to a very plush suite on the top floor of the hotel which is much posher than the one they had been living in, Nico doesn’t want to know how much this suite costs per night. It’s easily almost the same size as their house! Dizzy arrives 30 minutes later. She immediately puts Nico at easy with her friendly yet business like manner. She’s brought a couple of storyboards with her that are frankly works of art in themselves. Her idea is to run a series of highly stylised black and white shots of Primo alongside a series of much more cozy colour shots of Nico.

“Cozy?”

Quynh grins and produces one of the softest knitted cardigans that Nico has ever seen.

“So, what do you think?”

Dizzy is still holding the storyboards up for his inspection and he looks from them to where Quynh is holding the cardigan next to the case holding Primo’s ‘sexy’ gear. 

“Perfetto!”

Dizzy smiles and begins to set up her camera and lights whilst Nile high-fives Quynh. Nico helps them unpack eager to see what else Quynh has brought.

* * *

Yusuf is running late due to his chatting with Basti so he is literally running as he enters the lobby of The Old Guard where he collides with Daisy Mountjoy. Manhandled by Keane and sacked by Merrick, Daisy had gathered evidence to prove that Merrick had been defrauding the talent on his books for years. She’s been a frequent visitor to Yusuf and Nico’s recently. Originally because she’s also due to give evidence in court but latterly as their friend. Andy took to her immediately and was impressed enough to offer her a job. Needless to say Yusuf is running considerably later when he eventually knocks on the door to Andy’s office and holds out a plastic lunch box. 

Andy’s office manages to be impressively professional and yet pleasingly comfortable. Yusuf has always felt at ease with Andy and having her back in his life both managing his career and as his friend his joyful. Today’s meeting is meant to be about the balancing of his fledging literary career alongside the re-launch of Joseph Jones. In all honesty all they have done so far is talk about the twins. Andy has never been particularly maternal and never wanted children which has never been an issue as Quynh has been of the same mind. Some people take this to mean that Andy doesn’t like children which Yusuf knows to be utterly wrong. She doesn’t like sitting next to a screaming baby on a 12 hour flight but who the hell does? She is however completely enamoured with her niece and nephew, besotted one could say and Basti often does say before dancing neatly out of the way. She hadn’t been particularly close to Fabio and Mia but was certainly fond of them both. She had reduced Yusuf to tears one evening not so long ago pointing all of Mia and Fab that she could see in the kids looks and personalities but adding all of Yusuf’s traits that they show. They are bright, creative and loving in ways that are just so Yusuf. Nico had jokingly told Andy off for upsetting his love but then in the very same breath agreeing with her every word. Yes Andromache loves her nephew and niece and like their other aunts and uncles would do anything for them. 

“Your little sweethearts are very well and very excited that Aunty Andy will be coming to visit later.”

“And probably their Aunty Quynh.”

“I thought she was flying out to America tonight.”

“She is, but she won’t be able to resist! And are they still on their best behaviour?”

“Better than best. I am starting to worry.”

Andy rolls her eyes as she pours the coffee from a tall jug on her desk.

“Yes, perfectly behaved five year olds- I can see how that’s a worry for you!”

* * *

Quynh has outdone herself this time. Admittedly Nile is more than aware of what she is capable of and just how in demand she is. Frankly she is more than a little in awe of Quynh which Basti thinks is hilarious given that Quynh is her friend (Quynh Scythia-Ngo is her friend!). Even so this time she has truly outdone herself. There are two clothes rails in the suite, one for Primo and one for Nico. They have decided to do Primo first as it takes more work to get him ready. Every single piece looks as though it has been tailored to fit Primo perfectly but after some discussion and trial and error they decide on a pair of skinny black jeans which hug his thighs and the swell of his arse, a fitted white shirt which is shot through with silver threads. The final piece is a black waistcoat with tails which has been structured like a corset, the boning and edges are silver to match his earrings and the shirt. Primo’s now signature knee length laced, heeled boots finish it off. Nico is now an expert at his preferred eye make-up so does that himself. When he emerges from the en-suite Quynh claps, Nile whistles and Dizzy says

“Ok, where’d the other dude go?”

They take a good few shots in the room but Dizzy frowns as she looks through them and decides the fire-escape and roof would have a much better aesthetic for Primo and the suite better for Nico. Nico thinks it sounds a little odd but Quynh agrees wholeheartedly and Nile darts off to arrange it with the hotel’s manager. It means that there is a delay and he’ll be longer than he’s expected so he takes advantage of the pause and fires off a text to Yusuf who sends him a winking emoji and to Basti who doesn’t reply but is probably in a middle of an adventure with the kids.

* * *

It is too hard to shut the door by themselves so they leave it almost nearly closed and head down their path to the road. Lo thinks that it feels very not right to be going out without Baba or Uncle Nico but they go through the gate by themselves, all by themselves. He reaches out to hold Mia’s hand and feels a bit better because Mia always does make him feel better. 

There are a lot of cars on the road and quite a lot of people but they keep holding hands and they keep walking until they get to the bend. Lo looks back at the house 

“Mia, is Uncle Basti calling us?”

Mia turns to look and it sounds like Uncle Basti but 

“We’ve got to find him Lo.”

They carry on round the corner and now Lo cannot see their house anymore. He cannot hear Uncle Basti anymore and he feels quite a bit scared. He feels Mia hold his hand a bit tighter so maybe she is a bit scared too.

They know when they used to go to the hotel to see Uncle Nico they used to go through the park so they go there. Crossing the road is the most scariest thing Lo has ever done but Baba has taught them how to do it so they push the button and wait for the green man and look left and right and left again and they make it across safely. 

The park is is usually a lot of fun because they play football and have a picnic, which is lunch but outside with plastic plates, and they even feed the ducks. Mia doesn’t think it feels like much fun today. It feels bigger than it used to and they don’t even have any picnic or even a snack. Lo makes a little sound because the ducks are all quite close and Uncle Nico isn’t here to talk to him and make it ok.

“We’ll get him Lo, we will.”

They walk a bit faster to get past the ducks and Lo almost cries a little bit but Mia puts her arm around him.

“S’ok Lo. By tonight we’ll have a Daddy and then Baba will be happy too. Coz he was crying this morning when he said Uncle Nico was gone.”

Lo wipes his eyes and nods. He likes it when Baba is happy and he’s happy with them and with Uncle Nico and he’s going to be his very happiest when Uncle Nico is their Daddy. They have been walking a long time now and they can just see the cafe where they go with their family and they have lunch or ice-creams or even hot chocolate sometimes but today they don’t stop, just keep on walking to find their Daddy.

* * *

As meetings go this is a dream. Pleasant company, intelligent conversation and the most delicious baklava that Andy has ever tasted. Her face the first time she had tried Nico’s home made baklava was frozen in pure bliss. Quynh had been mock offended 

“ I have to work hard to get her to make _that_ face!”

Basti had taken a photo and changed Andy’s profile pic in their group chat to it immediately whilst Nile and Yusuf laughed so hard they ended up clinging to each other. Nico simply ducked his head blushing with pleasure, a sight Yusuf just had to record in his sketchbook alongside some other sketches of a flushed Nico. When he showed them to him Nico blushed again but didn’t duck his head, he simply stood and took Yusuf’s hand leading him to their room. 

Yusuf had no real intention to re-launch Joseph Jones’s career it had been simply a ruse in order to ‘get’ Merrick but his voice and Nico’s blend so well together. Originally ‘Twin Stars’ was to be the only duet in the album, a poem written by Yusuf about the twins and put to music by Nico. As they had worked together Nico had begun to view Yusuf’s voice as an additional instrument and insisted the songs just didn’t work without him. Primo’s album was quickly becoming a true collaboration and they both loved it. It wasn’t why Yusuf was here today though. 

“I see no reason why Joseph Jones’ singing career should have any negative impact on Yusuf Al-Kaysani’s literary career.”

Andy is her usual no nonsense self.

“Really?”

“Absolutely. _‘Beyond Measure and Reason’_ isn’t just a huge critical success Yusuf, you have a best seller on your hands and your publisher is desperate for more. Of course I am delighted to represent you and get you the best deal.”

“Thank you, thank you.”

“Do you have something planned?”

“I do, for some reason I have quite a lot of love poetry at the moment.”

“Can’t imagine why.”

Says Andy dryly before popping a piece of baklava into her mouth and pulling _that_ face.

* * *

It takes the longest time ever but finally they make it to the gate in the other side of the park. There are lots and lots of people out here and for a few minutes the twins huddle close to the fence holding hands. Mia thinks that to get to the hotel they have to get to the end of this road and then, and then.... but it looks like a very long road. Lo gives a little sniff and so Mia gives him an extra special twin hug 

“We are nearly almost there Lo.”

He wipes his nose on his sleeve and gives her a little smile but it doesn’t really look like a Lo smile. They hold hands and start to walk down the very busy, very long road. They keep close to the buildings so they don’t bump into people. Most of the people don’t look at them but some of them do and Mia really does not like it so she walks a bit more fast and holds on tight to Lo and to the special book they’ve made for Uncle Nico.

* * *

They’ve moved onto talking about Yusuf’s ideas and he has tentatively started talking about ideas he has for a children’s book. He keeps telling her that it s just a silly idea and not really something he’s going to actually do but Andy is good at reading body language and she knows Yusuf of old. She watches as he sits forward one hand twisting one of his rings, he speaks more quickly and keeps his eyes fixed over her shoulder. 

“I think you should go for it.”

He blinks up at her as if he’s almost forgotten she was listening.

“Really? But ...”

“Look you are a wonderful writer and aside from Nico’s album I’ve not seen you this enthused about anything before. Get it written and then if your publisher doesn’t like it we can sell it round. You might have to wait till the end of this contract but I will sell it for you.”

Yusuf opens his mouth to reply but his phone rings.

“It’s Basti, do you mind?”

She shakes her head and helps herself to another square of baklava as Yusuf answers

“Hey Basti. What’s up brother?”

There’s a pause and he pulls a face at Andy quirking his lips and raising both eyebrows. Andy starts to pay a little more attention as she takes another square of baklava.

“Basti?”

Yusuf must make a noise or move because Andy stops licking her fingers and sits bolt upright.

“Who’re not where?”

There is a cold steel edge to Yusuf’s voice that she has only heard once before when Merrick and Keane forced their way into his house. Yusuf doesn’t speak again but keeps the phone pressed to his ear. She can hear Sebastien’s voice, tinny and far away

“Yusuf? Yusuf please!”

Yusuf doesn’t move and doesn’t speak but his eyes are dim-nothing there at all and Andy is scared. Andromache Scythia-Ngo is scared. Heart rate starting to speed up she plucks the phone from Yusuf’s hand

“Booker, it’s me. Tell me!”

There’s a pause and then Sebastien, sounding nothing like the brother she’s spent so much time with, says four words which make her feel physically sick.

“The kids have gone.”

“What?”

“The door was open and it shouldn’t have been open and they’ve gone Andy. I keep looking but...”

Yusuf still isn’t moving and Sebastien is clearly panicking. Andy feels more sick by the second but takes control

“Book! Booker stop! You are going to hang up and call the police. Stay there we’re coming to you.”

“Ok Andy.”

If she notices that he sounds like a lost little boy then she doesn’t react to it. She drops to her knees in front of Yusuf and cups his face gently

“Yusuf, you still with me buddy? We’re going to your house and we’ll meet the police there. We’ll find them I promise you that.”

Yusuf’s eyes flick up to meet hers and still with that cold hard voice says

“Don’t! You can’t promise me that Andromache. You cannot promise me that my babies will be ok.”

“No, no I can’t but we need to move. _Now_ Yusuf.”

She flings her door open and asks her secretary in a shaky voice to get them a car immediately. As she leads a dazed Yusuf to the lobby she calls Quynh and the strangled whine of pain that her wife makes cuts straight to her heart.

“Meet us at the house. Please my love I can’t do this without you.”

Adam is waiting for them at the door, his grin fading as he takes in Yusuf’s expressionless face and Andy’s clenched jaw. As the car pulls away from the curb Andy takes Yusuf’s hand in hers and he doesn’t respond but he doesn’t pull away either.

* * *

Nico has no idea how these photos will turn out as it’s just him sitting on the fire escape or standing on the fire escape in the various poses that Dizzy puts him into but judging by Quynh’s and Nile’s reactions it must look good. It’s taken him a little while but he’s finally into it and not feeling quite so ridiculous when Quynh’s phone rings. She moves away to answer it but he catches a glimpse of her face as he moves to a new pose and it’s most definitely Andy as nobody other than her wife could possibly make Quynh smile like that. He realises that he’s completely missed what Dizzy has just said so he raises a hand in apology and focuses again. 

There’s a sound. 

There’s a horrible sounds that comes from Quynh and he’s never heard her make anything like it before and his full attention snaps back to her in an instant. The sound puts him in mind of an animal in pain. She’s thrown a hand out towards Nile who grabs it and looks just as confused as he feels. Quynh mumbles something and he catches an ‘I love you’ before Quynh hangs up and turns to face him, still clutching Nile’s hand, she looks more frightened than he’s ever seen her. In fact he’s never seen Quynh look anything other than strong and confident. This is unsettling to say the least.

“Nicoló.”

She never calls him Nicoló. Her voice is soft and she’s walking towards him as if he’s a cornered animal about to bolt.

“Nicoló I need you to stay calm.”

Why wouldn’t he be calm? Why is she talking to him in that soft voice. What the hell is this? He looks to Nile but she looks just as bemused as him. Quynh is in front of him now and she grabs his hands

“Nicoló the twins are missing.”

For one brief moment Nico fully believes that he has lost the ability to understand English, he must have because the words Quynh just said make no sense. Nile swears and pulls out her phone to presumably phone Booker who is with the twins. The twins are at home with Booker so they cannot be missing. Nile swears and tries phoning again and then again. Quynh has moved to rubbing his lower back but he doesn’t understand why because the twins are with Book.

“Booker’s phone is going straight to voicemail.” 

“Andromache told him to phone the police.”

This is what finally breaks through to Nico. This is now ridiculous.

“Police? Why the hell is he phoning the police?”

Quynh uses that soft and patient voice again as though explaining something difficult to a child.

“Darling the twins are missing and we need to...”

“How can they be missing they’re only five? Quynh they’re only babies.”

He sobs and Dizzy begins to quietly and quickly pack her camera gear away. Nile is still pacing the roof speaking urgently to someone on the phone and Quynh is trying to pull him to his feet as he’s on his knees. When did he end up on his knees?

“They really are missing aren’t they?”

“Yes and we need to go.”

He nods and lets himself be pulled up to his feet and follows in her wake. Only vaguely aware of getting into the car and the horrified look on Minnie’s face as they pull away from the curb.

* * *

The more they walk the more people there are and the more people there are the more people look at them. They don’t like it when people look at them and so they keep hold of each other’s hand and keep walking. 

They are so busy walking and not looking at anything that they don’t notice the cat lying in the shop window but the cat notices them and leaps up, mouth opening and closing though no sound travels through the glass so the kids keep walking. The woman in the shop comes to see why her cat is shouting but at that moment a scooter pulls in front of a cab who has to brake in front of a bus and suddenly horns blare and there is a lot of shouting. 

The twins jump in fright and both start to run and they are so frightened they don’t see the lady coming out of a shop until they bump into her hard and she tumbles over backwards onto her bottom. 

“Uh oh.”

Says Lo starting to chew on his thumb. 

“Sorry lady! Are you ok?”

The lady looks very cross until she looks at them properly. When she looks at them properly she starts to smile but it is a funny smile like her face isn’t used to doing smiles.

“I am fine. Are you two ok?”

“Yes thank you.”

Mia answers for both of them as she usually does around people they don’t know. The lady is now standing up but bending over to look at them and it is a very hard stare like what Paddington Bear does. Lo takes a step back and starts to suck his thumb which is a bit not good. 

“I think I know somebody who knows you, Nicky. You know Nicky don’t you?”

“We don’t know Nicky.”

Says Mia as Lo echoes her, words muffled around his thumb

“Do’t know ‘icky.”

“Your father’s boyfriend Nicky?”

“Uncle Nico! You know Uncle Nico?”

Lo is so excited that he stops sucking his thumb and comes forward again. Mia carries on 

“We need to find him because we have to ask him the biggest question but we can’t find the hotel.”

“Oh I know exactly where Nicky is. Uncle Nico I mean. Why don’t I take you to him?”

Mia and Lo look at each other.

“Not supposed to go with strangers.”

The lady smiles the not quite smile again and pulls out her phone and after pressing some buttons holds it to her ear

“Hello, you’ll never believe this but I’ve just bumped into the twins. I know such a surprise? Shall I bring them to you. Of course see you soon.”

She puts the phone away and holds out both hands.

“He says I should take you to him.”

The twins look at each other again

“He says he loves you both.”

They aren’t supposed to go off with strangers but the lady knows Uncle Nico and they need to find him and they are both quite scared now. Slowly they each take one of her hands. 

The beeping and shouting has stopped now but Jess is at the door shouting as only a Siamese cat can. Maggie opens the door and Jess slips straight out so Maggie follows her. For a second she swears she could see Yusuf and Nico’s kids with a blonde woman but she blinks and they are gone. She goes back inside and after a few seconds Jess follows her and goes back to lying in the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh blimey!
> 
> Who is the blonde lady not used to smiling?
> 
> Does she really know where Nicky, I mean Nico is?
> 
> Find out next time!
> 
> Thank you as always for reading!


	3. The Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I know I don’t officially have a posting schedule but this is a a little later than intended (stupid body failing).
> 
> So here we go and as you may imagine the gang are pretty desperate and upset.
> 
>  **TW/CW** for people in distress and for someone having a panic attack- does not last long.

Sebastien is in hell.

This is the worst he has ever felt in his life. Going to prison. Amelie no longer loving him. Amelie divorcing him. Nothing has ever made him feel this desperately wretched. The police promised to send officers as a priority given that the twins are so young. He’d laughed at that, a cold mirthless bark. Young! Mon Dieu they aren’t young, they are just babies. 

There is a void.

A period of time after speaking to the police but before they or his family arrive when he has absolutely no idea what to do. He wanders from room to room in this home he knows so well, that he loves so much but it feels empty and cold. There are reminders of the twins everywhere he looks and his eyes fill with tears. He cannot bear to be anywhere near their table where they should be eating a snack and listening to a story right now. It all becomes so much that he has to run to the cloakroom to throw up. It’s after this that Cat scrambles up his leg and back to sit on his shoulder and he runs her hand through her fur feeling nothing. 

Yusuf and Andy arrive first.

He is hugged by Andy and is vaguely aware that she is speaking to him but he cannot hear it over the swishing sound of blood in his ears. He feels her arms around him and then her hand cupping the back of his neck. She draws away and he feels scared in a whole new way. He’s been terrified of coming face to face with Yusuf. With Yusuf! His best friend of so many years. More than that his _brother_. But Sebastien has betrayed his brother’s trust in the most horrific way. He freezes when Andy releases him, unable to make eye contact but Yusuf surges forward and they collapse to the floor together. He tries to voice his apologies but nothing comes but a fresh wave of tears. 

They stay like that for the next few minutes until Nico, Nile and Quynh burst through the door. Andy embraces Quynh, Nile pulls Sebastien to his feet and over to the sofa where she desperately tries to get him to talk to her. Nico falls to his knees and wraps Yusuf in his arms. Neither of them speak but then what words are there in the midst of the fear that is gripping them. 

Suddenly, almost violently Yusuf jumps to his feet almost sending Nico sprawling.

“What the hell am I doing?”

He looks around at them all but his eyes don’t settle on anyone for long.

“I need to be out there looking for them.”

“No Yusuf.”

“Yusuf wait.”

“The police will be here soon.”

He ignores the clamour of voices and flings the door open.

“Tesoro please.”

“THEY ARE MY CHILDREN NICO!”

“I know my love but...”

Nico reaches for him, eyes begging him to stay

“Nico, I can’t do nothing, my babies....”

“I know my heart, I know but wait for the police, please.”

Yusuf doesn’t move, doesn’t speak but he seems to crumple into himself.

Nile breaks the silence. 

“We do need to get things ready for the police. You Nico and Basti should be here. They’ll need to know what’s been happening but especially this morning. They’ll need to know what they wearing and they’ll want photos. 

“They’re all alone out there Nile.”

Sebastien sobs and Nile takes his hand and presses it to her lips. Nico offers Yusuf his hand but Yusuf just stares at it.

“Please tesoro, we need to do this.”

Yusuf stares at Nico’s hand for a few moments and Nico can suddenly see the boy who was thrown out by his parents, lost and alone and his tears threaten to fall again but this is not the time for it. Eventually Yusuf takes his hand and stands leaning into him.

Nile looks pained and her voice breaks as she says 

“Oh Yusuf.”

Andy steps forward and takes control of the conversation, the situation and the room. 

“Quynh and I will get out and start looking in this area. Book, make a note of everything that happened this morning. Yusuf make a list of what they were both wearing and where they might go, anywhere they might go. Nico find some photos and start contacting everyone we know. Nile help the boys and keep in touch with us. 

There is something of a command in her voice and nobody thinks to argue. Hugs are shared before she and Quynh head out. Minnie and Adam, the drivers, are waiting anxiously at the gate and both insist on joining the search. 

Sebastien hasn’t spoken for a while but now he has something to do and he is damn well going to do it. 

“Where can I find paper?”

“There should be plenty on the kids table.”

Nile spins round to grab it but freezes. Unsurprisingly Sebastien is the first to notice.

“Nile?”

“There’s a note.”

Nile’s heard the expression ‘so quiet you could hear a pin drop’ but she’s never really understood it until this moment. She turns slowly holding out a piece of paper that Yusuf takes with a shaking hand as they all crowd round to read 

_Deer Unkl Bastee gon to look for Unkl Neeko we luv yoo from Lo and Mia_

Nico feels the room begin to spin and half falls, half sits in the nearest chair.

“Look for me? Why did they go to look for me?”

He looks wildly round for an answer, any answer but there just isn’t one of course just the same fear and shock. Cat is rubbing her head on his leg until he jolts forward and she leaps back hissing.

“I didn’t say goodbye.”

He expects some reaction but gets nothing. He carries on his voice raising in pitch and volume as he starts gesticulating 

“I left this morning and I didn’t kiss them goodbye. I didn’t say anything to them I just left them and now they’re out there all alone and in danger because of me.”

He feels like he is drowning on dry land. The kids are missing and there isn’t enough air and they’re alone out there and they’re in danger and why isn’t there enough air.

Yusuf can feel the waves of distress rolling off Nico, his Nico. He kneels and rubs his back with one hand whilst pressing Nico’s other hand to his chest.

“Shh now Nicoló. Please don’t.”

In his mind he’s aware that this is utterly unhelpful so he shakes his head 

“Nicoló! I need you to listen to my voice and breath with me. In....Hold....Out.... In....Hold....Out. You’re doing so well hayati. In....Hold....Out.... Good, good. There you are.”

Nile wants to pull her best friend into a hug but he has Yusuf and there are things that need to be done before the police arrive. She sends Basti to the kitchen to write up all he can remember while she rings Andy. 

The air is finally making its way back into Nico’s lungs and he becomes aware of the room again. He runs a hand over his face and manages to focus on Yusuf who is gazing up at him. Sebastien is nowhere in sight and Nile is on the phone.

“So they would have been heading for somewhere Nico might be. Yeah, I’m thinking the park or that ice-cream shop on the high street. I thought about our flat but Booker was here this morning. Thanks Andy, we all love you too.”

Nico gets to his feet pulling Yusuf with him. He gets his phone out and opens his contact list. 

“We’re getting them home Yusuf. We have to and I don’t care what we have to do.”

The house is still full of fear but now it is a flurry of activity and they will stop at nothing to get their babies home.

* * *

The lady is very strange and Lo does not like her which he feels a bit bad about because it is not nice when people don’t like you. He didn’t like it when Thomas decided he was Mark’s friend and they wouldn’t play with him anymore but at least he had Mia. He knows that Mia doesn’t like the lady either because of the way she’s staring at her. 

The lady hasn’t told them what her name is and he doesn’t want to ask her what it is. He puts his thumb back in his mouth even though he is a big boy now because he is not feeling very brave at the moment. The lady keeps playing with her phone and smiling the not smile. 

“Where are we going?”

Mia’s voice makes him jump because he wasn’t expecting it.

“We are going to see Nicky I told you that already.”

The lady sounds quite cross so Lo sinks further back in his seat whilst Mia carries on glaring at her

“But WHERE is Uncle Nico because you haven’t told us that yet.”

The lady is staring very hard at Mia now

“He is with some old friends and you need to stop asking silly questions now.”

Mia opens her mouth but changes her mind and just glares at the lady instead. She does turn round to give Lo a real smile though and holds his hand a bit tighter.

* * *

Quynh, Andy, Minnie and Adam have split up to cover the most ground they can. Quynh feels physically sick and one glance at Andy tells her that her wife is strung as tight as a bowstring. They’d decided to head for the park before Nile’s call because it is practically their family’s second home. The instant they pass through the gate she looks down almost expecting to see Mimma and Paolo skipping ahead of them giggling. 

“Let’s split I’ll take the north path and you take the south.”

Andy’s voice is neutral and Quynh knows that no-one outside their family would be able to hear the quaver in it but it rings as loud as a bell in Quynh’s ears. She kisses her, just for a moment as they both need it.

“Meet you at the other gate. We _will_ find them my darling.”

She approaches everybody she sees and asks them if they’ve seen the kids. The last photo on her phone is of the twins sitting in Andy’s office chair, legs dangling as they laugh up at the camera. Quite a few people she speaks to recognise the twins and take her business card promising to call her and the police if they see them. Every single one of them holds their own child’s hand a little tighter and she cannot blame them for a second. She would give everything she has just to have them with her now. 

The man at the tea stand which is also the stand that sells duck food gasps in horror 

“Oh the little angels. Always so funny and sweet. I haven’t seen them today but I’ll keep an eye out and ask everyone who comes past. I’ll do a search on my breaks too.”

“Thank you.”

Here’s my number please let me know when you find them.”

The fact that he says ‘when’ not ‘if’ is such a little thing but she is both grateful for and heartened by it.

“Of course.”

“You know the cafe has CCTV. They might have picked them up if they came through.”

Quynh’s heart beasts faster and she is calling Andy before she’s even said thank you.

“The park cafe has CCTV. Meet you there.”

She makes her way as quickly as possible whilst still speaking to everyone she passes, just in case.

* * *

The arrival of several police officers seems to make everything more real but Yusuf still has trouble believing that this is actually happening. That this isn’t just an awful dream and that he won’t wake up soon safe in Nico’s arms. That Nico won’t wipe his tears away and kiss him softly murmuring that everything is ok. That they won’t go to sit quietly together in the twins room and listen to them breathe whilst his heart rate calms and they can go back to bed safe in the knowledge that all is well. This is a nightmare that he cannot wake from. 

Cat is beside herself. She has always naturally gone to anyone who is upset but the house is full of humans radiating distress and she is showing signs of it herself. In the end she moves between Yusuf and Nico, miaowing mournfully at them as they stroke her. 

A few officers introduce themselves but Yusuf doesn’t really take anything in. He is now painfully aware that with each passing second the kids are moving further and further away from him. Nico, Nile and Basti are answering the questions, filling in the events of the morning and providing details of Lo’s black shorts and pink t-shirt covered in blue elephants and Mia’s black shorts and blue t-shirt covered in pink elephants. Nico runs upstairs to grab a framed photo from their room and Cat accompanies him briefly sitting in the sunlight under their window but quickly following him back downstairs. 

One of the officers, ‘Call me Jay’, explains that she will be their Family Liaison Officer and that it means she will be their point of contact. Obviously she focuses on the note and wants to know everywhere and anywhere that they have been with Nico or visited him. For each place she wants to know the route they would have followed and for now she believes they need to stick to places they would have walked to. During the conversation Quynh calls to say that the cafe in the park has CCTV but they are only allowed to hand it over to the police. Jay immediately sends two of her colleagues to review it and there is a nervous wait until Jay gets a message on her radio which she steps outside to answer. Seconds later Andy calls Nile who puts her on speakerphone. If Yusuf hadn’t heard Nile say ‘Andy’ as she answered he would never have known it was her as there is no edge of command in her voice now, she’s almost whispering 

“They were here and they went straight through. They were here and we missed them, they’ve gone.”

To have that kernel of hope that they might be still in the park, to be so close only to have that hope dashed is soul destroying. None of them have the energy to speak and what could they possibly say. When Jay returns it is to silence.

“I take it you’ve heard?”

Basti and Nico nod whilst Nile manages a quiet ‘Yes’. Yusuf merely strokes Cat with one hand and squeezes Nico’s shoulder with the other. Jay produces a map of the local area and spreads it out over the kitchen table as they all grab various mugs and things to make room. Jay uses one of Yusuf’s charcoal pencils to mark the route from their house through the park and out of the gate on the other side. She taps the pencil at the gate and asks

“Best guess as to where they were going?”

They stare at the map and then at each other but nothing until

“Maggie!”

Jay raises an eyebrow and Nico continues 

“Maggie is a friend of ours. We got Cat from her and the kids have been there with me many times. Her bookshop is here.”

He circles it on the map and grabs his phone to immediately call Maggie. He would pace the room but Yusuf is leaning on him and the touch is the grounding he so desperately needs. Nile and Basti are holding each other tightly for the same reason.

“Hello.”

He presses speakerphone 

“Maggie, it’s Nico.”

“Oh hello sweetheart. Do you know I was thinking about you earlier because....”

“Maggie the kids have run away and we know they went through the park. Have you seen them?”

His tone is pleading with Maggie, with the universe itself

“Good god! No, they haven’t been in but I could have sworn I saw them earlier, just for a second mark you. And I think Jess did because she dashed out of the shop.”

“Maggie, I’m Jay the FLO could I speak to Jess?”

“Jess is my cat dear but she adores the children. Now I have cameras looking at the street so I can look through those for you.”

“If you could. We’ll head over to you so their parents can look as well.”

There’s a spark of hope again. Just a spark but Yusuf clings to it as strongly as he clings to Nico. 

It’s decided that Nico and Nile will go to Maggie’s with Jay whilst Yusuf and Sebastien will stay at the house in case there’s any news and of course just in case the twins come home by themselves, though none of them dare to give voice to that hope out loud. After Nile hugs Sebastien whispering something to him at which he nods and kisses her hand she and Jay make their way to the car deep in conversation. Nico pauses at the door with Yusuf neither of them speak but the thing about Nico and Yusuf is that they don’t actually need words. Anything that needs to be said at this moment is done with a look, a touch and a sad smile. They lean toward each other, foreheads touching briefly before Nico turns and leaves the house for the second time today. 

In the car on the way over both Nico and Nile push themselves up against the windows and scan the streets, the shops, the cars. If Jay notices them looking or the fact that they have been holding each other’s hand since they got in then she doesn’t mention it. Miraculously there is a car parking space right outside Maggie’s which is the first and only luck they have had today. Maggie is waiting nervously at the door and throws herself at Nico the moment he is close enough

“Dear boy, I just can’t believe this. Nile sweetheart come in. Oh Jess come here.”

Jess is intent on winding herself around Nico’s legs until Maggie scoops her up. 

“The CCTV?”

Nico feels like he’s being rude to a woman who has been nothing but kind to him, a true friend but he is the very definition of a one track mind now and focussed solely on anything that might lead them to the kids. 

“This way, I’ve set it up but I’ve not been able to look at it.”

Nico doesn’t speak, he can’t but Nile expresses their thanks and they follow Maggie through to a very cramped stockroom which also holds the CCTV equipment. Jay settles down to operate whilst Nico, Nile and Maggie all stare at the small screen not even daring to blink. They know the time the park cafe CCTV picked them so Jay scrolls quickly up to and past that time. Maggie believes she saw them just after the traffic stopped so Jay slows right down and sure enough two small figures, so very small, appear from the left of the screen and everybody holds their breath. They are running but just before they leave the frame they run full pelt into a woman and knock her over.

“That’s them.”

Nile’s voice is clear and surprisingly loud in the small room. Jay freezes the picture at the point that the woman sits up and Nico finds himself staring right into the face of Merrick’s head of HR, Meta Kozak.

* * *

They’ve been in the cab for quite a long time now and the lady hasn’t said anything but even Mia doesn’t want to ask any more questions. Finally they stop outside a very very big house. It is the biggest house they have ever ever seen and they both stare open-mouthed. The lady pays the cab driver but won’t give him a tip because he went the wrong way.

“Come on.”

The follow her up the drive and wait at the very very big front doors. A man opens it and before he can say anything the lady just pushes past him and beckons them to follow. Mia thinks that the lady is not just cross she’s also rude and why would Uncle Nico be friends with her because he is never ever rude or cross, apart from that one time the scary men came to their house, he was very very cross then. Lo whispers

“I don’t like her much Mia.”

“I don’t either Lo.”

They are now following her down a long hallway which is much longer and much taller than their hallway and it is full of mirrors which is a bit confusing because they can see lots of themselves. The lady keeps stopping and telling them to hurry up until Mia puts both hands on her hips, sticks her chin out and says

“But our legs are shorter than yours because we are small!”

Mia carries on glaring and the lady does look away which Lo thinks is good because Mia has her very very serious face on. They carry on down the hallway and stop in a small room which has more doors at the other end of it.The lady says 

“Stay here!”

So they stop and try listening very hard for Uncle Nico. 

“Meta.”

Mia looks at Lo because that voice is not Uncle Nico’s. Also they haven’t ever heard that word before but they are only five so there are probably lots of words they haven’t ever heard before, maybe even like a hundred! The lady is in the room now so Mia and Lo hold hands and creep forward until they are peeping round the door.

“Uh oh!”

Says Lo before jamming his thumb back into his mouth.

“Oh bother!”

Says Mia

Because there are two men in the room and neither of them is Uncle Nico but they have seen them before because they are the two scary men who came to their house and made Baba and all their Uncles and Aunties very upset.

“Lo I think we made a mistake.”

Lo is speaking with his thumb in his mouth again but Mia always understands him

“A gig un.”

“The biggest Lo, the very biggest.”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I think Meta has met her match in Mimma.
> 
> As always a huge thank you everyone who reads my words and comes back for more. And to those of you who leave kudos or a comment <3 
> 
> Until next time....


End file.
